Fridge Foraging Pantry Staples
Fridge Foraging Staples
Below is a list of the pantry staples that I always get at the store. Most of these are basic items but the important thing is that they can be used in a number of different ways. I also always like to have butter, flour, sugar, and spices on hand too.
1. Eggs : If you could only buy one thing, make it eggs. Eggs can be used so many different ways; from plain old scrambled eggs to a frittata, to deviled eggs, to even a pavlova if you have a little sugar laying around.
2. Bread: Bread is another staple like eggs, there are endless possibilities. The bread I am referring to is not necessarily soft sandwich bread but bread like a levain or baguette which is just a little heartier and less delicate than sandwich bread. Bread is a base for obvious recipes like grilled cheese or sandwiches but also consider bread pudding, french toast, or even French onion soup where the bread is placed on top as a giant crouton. If you have old hard bread in your refrigerator you can revive it by running it under the faucet for a couple seconds then throwing it in a 350F oven for about 10 minutes. This technique will return it to being crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Bread also freezes well wrapped in plastic wrap, just let it defrost in the fridge overnight before using.
3. Chicken thighs: If you only get 1 cut of meat at the store make it chicken thighs. They are the most flavorful part of the chicken and super forgiving compared to chicken breast when cooking. My favorite way to cook them is in a skillet. First I brown them skin down then add in allium like onion or shallot and cook for 30 seconds. Deglaze with an acid like white wine, add in some chicken stock and sliced vegetables then cook uncovered until an internal temp reaches 165F. Here is a great recipe.
4. Canned Beans: I always make sure to have a couple cans of canned beans on hand. Any canned bean will work but I gravitate towards chickpeas and white beans. I suggest getting canned beans instead of dried just because dried beans need to be soaked before using and canned beans are basically ready to go after you rinse them off. One of my favorite ways to eat beans these days is by sauteing them in a little olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice and serving over toast.
5. Greens: Fresh or frozen greens like spinach or kale are always on my shopping list. Obviously frozen will last longer but don’t overlook that wilted fresh kale you may have in your crisper - saute it down with a little olive oil and garlic then serve it to extend the shelf life.
6. Canned tomatoes - Canned tomatoes are canned at the peak of their freshness so they always taste great and obviously have a very long shelf life. Apart from the obvious like pasta sauce and soups, use canned tomatoes as the base for baked eggs, stews, and even braised chicken.
7. Chocolate Chips - For those of you like me that have a sweet tooth chocolate chips are an easy way to always have lots of sweet options on hand. Obviously you can eat them straight out of the bag, on a spoon with some peanut butter or if you want to get a little fancy melt them and dip fresh fruit into it. If you have eggs, flour, and butter, you could also make basic brownies or chocolate chip cookies. if you want to get totally crazy and you have eggs and sugar you can even make a simple chocolate souffle.
8. Dried grains/pasta - Dried pasta and grains seems obvious but they are the perfect example of pantry items that can be a base for whatever you have. Consider these items to be blank slate of which to add anything and everything you have on hand.
9. Stock. Any type of stock will do - chicken stock or vegetable stock are the most universal used - but having a couple cartons of stock on hand is great for a number of different recipes from soups to stews to braising.
10. Onions. I know this seems like a random ingredient but having onions or shallots on hand is important. Onions are the base for so many recipes and if all else fails you can always make French onion soup or caramelized onions, both of which have a ton of flavor simply from the onion.